Washing machine



Nov. 1, 1932. R. s. LANGE 6,

WASHING MACHINE Filed March s, 1929 2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 Nov. 1, 1932. LANE 1,886,201

WASHING MACHINE Filed March a, 1929 Z SheetS-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 1932FPATNT oFic ROBERT STEWART LANGE, F GORE, NEW ZEALAND WASHING MACHINEApplication filed March 8, 1929, Serial No. 345,556, and in New ZeaIandMarch 16, 1928. I

This invention relates to that well known class of machine, generallyelectrically driven, used in washing clothes in which a clothesreceiving perforated bowl is mounted on a rotating spindle within anenclosed tank and is capable of having its axis changed from vertical tohorizontal so that it may be rotated by the driving gear in eitherposition. In the horizontal position of the axis, the bowl is designedto dip into washing, rinsing-or blueing fluid placed within the tank inorder that the fluid may penetrate the bowl and thereby-wash, and (or)blue-the clothes therein, through the rotation of the bowl. In thevertical position of the spindle the bowl is designed to be raised clearof the fluid level so that bythe rapid spinning of the bowl, the clothestherein may be drie on the hydro-extractor principle. 7 a

1 In the present invention the construction is such as to provide forthe tank, and the bowl within it, being tipped together so that the'bowl and its spindlealways remain relatively to the tank in the sameposition and the fluid, when the tank is vertical, isbelow the level ofthe bowl and, when horizontal, lies within the, then, bottom portion ofthe tank so that the bowl dips into it in the required I This also has adoor covered top 16 to provide manner. In this invention also the meansI for driving the bowl when in either of its positions, are muchsimplified, so that a1together a machine is provided that is simpler andcheaper and more readily operated.

The construction also embodies means for lowering the tank from thevertical to the horizontal positions, and for raising it again, andother appliances for generally facilitating the operations of thedevice. 2

In fully describing the invention reference will be made to theaccompanying drawings,

inwhichz e V Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, thetank andbowlbeing shown in'the raised positionandpartly broken away to showthe 4bowl within it;

- Figure 2 is a planfiof the under-framing and operating gear for themachine, the motor and driving connection therefor being omitted. r T Ta 9 Figure 3 is 'a small detail of the holding underframing with thetankand bowl to .materials,'fittings and so on, the machine as in Figure5, and serves to retain within the .tank the water with which it ischarged.

device for the tank that willfbe hereinafter more fully referred to. a

Figure 4 is a rear end elevation-of the ma chine in the raised-position.7

. Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation of the (shown in elevation)tilted out of vertical position. I 7 a In its general features of.constructionas follows along the established lines exemplifled in theconstruction of appliances of similar nature now well known in the art.

I 10 is the tank which in this inventionis mounted on an underframing orcarriage 11 by being hinged at 12 to one edge thereof, so that the tankmaybe turned up to extend in a vertical axis, as'in Figures 1 and l, ormay be swung over to .a position inclinedtothe horizontal, as in Figure5. The tank 10 9 which is of cylindricalform is provided with acoverover its top, one part 13 of which is' hinged at 13ct'to provide foraccess thereto,

while the other part 14: is fixed. This part is the lower part whenthetank is turned over, 7

' 15 is the rotating bowl fitted in the tank 10.

for its charging and discharging in the well known way. The bowl is madeof perforated material inthe well known way and is mount.- ed on acentral spindle 17 which passes down througha bearing18 in the tankbottomv and is journalled therein to permit of its free ro- 35 tation.To the lower end ofthe spindle, a

driving wheel 19 is fixed such wheel having a plain lower surface. i i fJournalled in the frame 11 is a horizontal shaft'20 that is preferablymounted atits ends in bearings 21 and 22 one of which, 21, may be springcushioned as suggested in dotted lines at 21a in Fig. 5 to support theshaft so that it such wheel and'the bowl, when thefshaftais 9 driven.Such drive is imparted to the shaft 20 by driving connection 2425 withan electric motor 26 arranged within the bottom of the frame 11.

The shaft 20, through reduction gearing 27 also actuates a shortcountershaft 28 that is j ournalled in one end of the frame 11, and onthis countershaft 28 a mitre friction wheel 29 is fixed. These are sopositioned that when the tank 10 is turned over on to its side, thewheel 29 will engage the mitred peripheral edge of the driving wheel 19with a driving engagement as shown in Figure 5, and thus cause the bowl15 to be rotated when the parts are in this position, but at a reducedrate.

Thus there is provision for the bowl 15 being driven rapidly when it isin the vertical position, and slowly when in the horizontal position. Inthe latter position it is used in the known way for washing and rinsingthe clothes placed within it, the water being held within the tank, andin the former position, for wringing or drying them, the bowl then beingabove the water level, and the water being thrown out from the bowl intothe tank by the centrifugal action. I

The tank is held in the vertical position by means of a catch 30 uponthe lever 31 pivoted to the frame 11v which engages a catch 32 upon thetank, when the lever31 is moved laterally on its pivot. The tank isreleased for tipping over, by a-reverse movement of the lever. A buffer33 containing a cushioning spring 33a is fixed to the frame 11 toengageand cushion the tank at its free edge, as such tank is turned up to thevertical from the horizontal.

' The said catches 30 and 32 are so made as to provide for a wedgingaction being eflected as shown in the detail Figure 3,by means of whichthe tank may be forced downward against the buffer 33 to cause the wheel19 to bear upon the periphery of the wheel 23. Consequently the drivingmotion, when the tank is in this position, is imparted to the i bowl bymoving the handle lever 31 across in one direction, and is stopped bymoving it in the other direction, the buffer being designed to hold thetank up so that the wheel 19 is just free from contact with the wheel23.

By mounting the shaft 20 in the'spring cushioned bearing 21 provision ismade for a certain amount of slip between the frictional surfaces of'thcwheels 23 and 19 when the wheel 19 is taking up its rotation from thewheel 23, thus ensuring that the inertia.

of the bowl will be gradually overcome and the full power rotationgradually conveyed to the bowl. Consequently no overloading of theelectric motor 26 is liable to take place. The tank 10 is fitted with anapproved form of discharge valve 34 so that the water may be drainedaway therefrom-as and when required.

The tank may have an electric heater element indicated diagrammaticallyat 35 placed within it for heating its water con tents and may be fittedwith a thermometer to record the heat of such contents. This element maybe of any approved form and will be suitably protected from contact withthe bowl and supplied with current by a conductor cable 35a.

The appliance may be fitted with hydraulic jacking means for use inlowering the tank from the vertical to the horizontal positions and forraising it again. These means comprise an ordinary hydraulic jack 36affixed at an angle to the frame 11 and having its spear or plunger rod37 extending upward and pivotally'attached at 37a to'the edge of thetank 10 that tips downward when the tank is turned over. This jack iscontrolled by a handle rod 38 which opens and-closes its relief valve36a. It is designed to be actuated to force the plunger outwards and'48, also mounted on the bracket 41, by means of gearing44. This spindle43 has acrank disc 50 mounted thereon which has a crank 'pin 45. Arocking lever 46 is pivoted to the frame'll and one end is connected tothe pump 47 of the hydraulic jack. Its other end extends across the faceof the disc .44 and isformed with a longitudinal slot 48 into which thecrank pin 45 enters. The rotation of the disc spindle will thus impart arocking motion to the lever 46 and thereby actuate the pump 47 in therequired manner, to force the tank upward to the horizontal position.When the tank is to be lowered, the relief valve is opened.

Iclaim: I s a c m 1. A washing machine including a. water containingtank, a clothes receiving bowl mounted torotatewithin said tank, a framehorizontally pivotally supporting said tank to enable the latter to movefrom vertical to inclined positions, a. friction driving wheel arrangedexternally of the tank and connected with the bowl for rotationtherewith and having a flat friction surface and a peripheral frictionsurface lateral thereto, and separate driving members supported in theframe alternately engageable with the fiat and pe# ripheral frictionsurfaces ,of the wheel' rellO spectively when the tank is shiftedfromone 7 position to the other. 7

2. A washmg machine includlng awater containing tank and an uprightclothes Washing bowl rotatably mounted therein, a frame pivotallysupporting the tank for swinging movement about ahorizontal axis, adriving gear supported in said frame for imparting rotary movement tothe washing bowl, a hydraulic jack disposed to extend vertically beneaththe tank and having its upper end pivotally attached thereto, said jackincluding a fluid pump and a clutch controlled driving connectionbetween the driving gear and the pump.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ROBERT STEWART LANGE.

